Cucumber Appetizer "Snake"
Description
The appetizer is quick and easy to make. You can use several medium-sized cucumbers, or one large long one. Instead of rice vinegar, you can use apple or lemon juice. For decoration, the black peppercorns used for the eyes can be replaced with dried juniper berries, and the tongues can be made from red bell pepper. This appetizer will especially appeal to those who love Asian-style cuisine — it turns out piquant, slightly spicy, and very tasty. It can be served warm or chilled.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all ingredients.
- 2
Step 2
Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry. Place a cucumber between two chopsticks, leaving about 3–4 cm from one end, and make cuts at a 90-degree angle, but do not cut all the way through. The chopsticks will act as a kind of stop. The thinner you can slice, the better.
- 3
Step 3
Then turn the cucumber over and make cuts at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, again not cutting all the way through. Do the same with the remaining cucumbers.
- 4
Step 4
Dissolve the salt in water. Transfer the cucumbers to a deep bowl and pour the salted water over them. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or longer if you like. During this time, the cucumbers will absorb the salt and become pliable.
- 5
Step 5
For the dressing, mix soy sauce with sesame oil and rice vinegar. Add ground black pepper, black toasted sesame seeds, dried garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- 6
Step 6
Remove the cucumbers from the brine. On the end that was not cut, make two indentations and insert black peppercorns — these will be the snake’s eyes. You can use black sesame seeds for the nostrils, and cut the cucumber tail in half like a forked tongue.
- 7
Step 7
To serve, spread out and arrange the cucumbers on salad leaves. Drizzle with the dressing on top. The cucumber appetizer “Snake” is ready—enjoy your meal!